India, the future of ESL Education

New Delhi, India, home of over 14 official languages (30% Hindi, the national language), has always valued English as the “national, political, and commercial communication” language of the country. And it has just agreed to further its progress in education development and especially English education. Both Britain and India have come to terms to expand the system for mutual benefit, meaning both Britain and India will grow from the outcome of this new deal.

In a report recently published by http://www.indiaedunews.net/, the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown has apparently, "extended his country's support for the Indian government's 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) that aims to expand higher education sectors by setting up eight new Indian Institutes of Technology, seven new Indian Institutes of Managements, five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research and 30 new central universities.”

The report also spoke of Brown's anncounment, before he embarked on his trip to India and China of a plan "to teach English to two billion people around the globe by 2020. This initiative would be kicked by recruiting 'master trainers' in India to develop 750,000 English teachers within five years.”

For further information, go to India Edu News. http://www.indiaedunews.net/International/Brown_announces_help_in_expansion_of_Indian_education_3188/

This deal will likely ensure the growth of the ESL market in India for the near future. However, the majority of teachers will be recruited from England seeing that the majority of education facilities will have been provided by the British government. With the expansion of English language eduction in countries like India and countries such as China and Korea opening up their markets to non-native speakers, ESL as it presently exists is set for a significant change. More and more Asians are seeking cheaper English education, both in their own countries and outside as well. If someone wants to study abroad, they will soon have the choice to do it at a cheaper cost in places such as the Philippines, already a popular spot, and now India, where English is already fluently spoken. For many it will make more monetary sense than travelling to an expensive Western country.

By Jim Korea